February 19, 2015
Last year RACQ CareFlight flew 167 missions into the South Burnett … helping to save the lives of everyone from new-born babies and injured farmers to snakebite victims and car crash casualties.
Each callout costs about $12,500 which means the not-for-profit organisation spent almost $2.1 million last year helping South Burnett residents.
The familiar blue and yellow choppers were in the area six times last week alone …
The incredible costs of running six helicopters and four bases – at Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Toowoomba – are now partially offset by guaranteed State Government funding, but RACQ CareFlight Relationship Manager Angela Miles said today one-third of funding still had to come from the community.
She was in Kingaroy to address the South Burnett Regional Council meeting and to thank Council for the funds received from the Community Rescue and Evacuation Levy which is levied on all rateable properties across the region.
Angela then met with representatives from the Burrandowan Race Club who presented her with a cheque for $2854, profits from the 2014 Burrandowan Races.
President Brendan McCormack and secretary Carolyn Stone said the club had selected RACQ CareFlight as the charity to support again at the 2015 races, so there should be more dollars to hand over next year.
Angela presented a thank you gift to the Race Club and said RACQ CareFlight was very grateful for all the community support it received in the South Burnett.
Every dollar donated was welcome towards the $650,000 fundraising target for the region, she said, ie one-third of mission costs.
Angela said one of RACQ CareFlight’s latest targets was to raise $14,000 for an engine borescope – a device similar to the endoscopes used by surgeons – which would assist mechanics during the maintenance of the helicopter fleet.
- Related article: $200m Boost For RACQ CareFlight
